Pedestrian Guardrails

[jakeroot]

I see this all over the UK but can't recall seeing them too often in the US or Canada . . . the pedestrian guardrail!

The purpose, from what I can tell, is to stop pedestrians from crossing where it isn't safe. In the UK, there are used quite often because jaywalking isn't illegal, but discouraged in areas with the guardrails. In places where jaywalking is illegal (like most everywhere else), the guardrails serve to, more or less, disrupt the jaywalker. I'm not sure of their effectiveness, but one glance at much of the UK's roadways would make me think they work well.

Are there any places in the US that use these guardrails?

If you are interested in reading further about the purpose of the pedestrian guardrail, see chapter 4 of the "Roadside Features" manual, as published by the UK Highways Agency.

[english si]

horrible, vile things (even ignoring that they've helped kill pedestrians who've gone the 'wrong' side of them to avoid obstacles on the sidewalk) and quite rightly they are not seen as best practise anymore outside major arterials.

The number of times I've been able to cross to the middle island at a staggered crossing like the bottom picture, due to a gap in traffic, but can't as there's a barrier in the way, making me have to go up to the lights and miss the gap in traffic so have to push the button and hold up traffic to cross

The idea is officially safety, but it's really to get you to use the crossings rather than cross near them. Sometimes it isn't safe to cross at such locations, but Britain used to educate, rather than engineer, where to cross into people - not only cheaper, but safer as you don't have to put unsightly barrier everywhere where it's not safe to cross (and there's no driveway access - which rules out large stretches where it isn't safe)

[jeffandnicole]

A few intersections in NYC use them.  They're used a bit more extensively (and usually much nicer looking) in Las Vegas, but almost always are also accompanied by Pedestrian escalators and bridges over the intersection as well.

[GaryV]

Grand Rapids, North Division Ave. near Fountain St.

[realjd]

I can't think of any specific examples but I see them most often where sidewalks cross railroad tracks. They place them in such a way that forces the pedestrian to look both ways down the tracks. Or I've seen them a few times in the US in a median designed to make the pedestrian look toward oncoming traffic, much like the UK examples above.

[DaBigE]

We have some "limbo bar-style" ones along portions of University Avenue in Madison.

[roadfro]

They're used a bit more extensively (and usually much nicer looking) in Las Vegas, but almost always are also accompanied by Pedestrian escalators and bridges over the intersection as well.

Specifically, they are used in three or four distinct locations along the Las Vegas Strip, where the barriers were installed specifically to funnel people to the pedestrian bridges in order to cross the street–they extend several hundred feet beyond intersections for this purpose.

There may be some other locations in the Vegas area where a barrier is installed adjacent to a pedestrian crossing, but the barrier in these cases is usually less elaborate (and can be as simple as a chain link fence).

[jeffandnicole]

Let's see...they are now at the Strip and: Tropicana, Harmon (3 of 4 corners), Flamingo, and Spring Garden (although the southern ped bridge is further down past TI).

And I should clarify:

They're used a bit more extensively (and usually much nicer looking) in Las Vegas, but almost always are also accompanied by Pedestrian escalators and bridges over the intersection as well.

One of these days, I will proofread what I write.  I meant "accompanied by Pedestrian escalators and elevators".  And that doesn't exactly mean they work either.

[Brandon]

The only ones I can think of around Chicago, in a similar fashion, are across the bridges.  However, those are mostly because they are structural members of the bridges.

[gonealookin]

They're on the sidewalks in front of Harrah's and Harvey's on US 50 in Stateline, NV.  In addition to crosswalks at signals at either end, there's also a tunnel under the street which directly connects the two casinos.

[freebrickproductions]

I don't recall any here. If there are any, then they are on pedestrian bridges.

[Scott5114]

Springfield, MO has them along National Avenue adjacent to the Missouri State campus. https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Missouri+State+University,+South+National+Avenue,+Springfield,+MO&hl=en&ll=37.198437,-93.276179&spn=0.004363,0.007483&sll=35.246821,-97.36237&sspn=0.572539,0.95787&oq=missouri+state+univ&t=m&z=18&layer=c&cbll=37.198162,-93.276189&panoid=l7OeJHWiyhUAsD96ELDikg&cbp=12,156.64,,0,3.67

[DaBigE]

Forgot about these on E Washington Ave (US 151) in Madison:
near Wis 30
in front of Madison East HS

[roadfro]

Let's see...they are now at the Strip and: Tropicana, Harmon (3 of 4 corners), Flamingo, and Spring Garden (although the southern ped bridge is further down past TI).

That would be Spring Mountain, not Spring Garden.

And I should clarify:

They're used a bit more extensively (and usually much nicer looking) in Las Vegas, but almost always are also accompanied by Pedestrian escalators and bridges over the intersection as well.

One of these days, I will proofread what I write.  I meant "accompanied by Pedestrian escalators and elevators".  And that doesn't exactly mean they work either.

The bridges at Las Vegas Blvd and Tropicana are notorious for escalators not functioning properly. Those were the first ones, which were constructed by NDOT...the rest were constructed under the purview of Clark County and/or adjacent property owners (which explains why the ones at Tropicana are so utilitarian while the others have nicer design features). If I recall correctly, the Tropicana bridges used escalators designed for indoors, so there have been recurring mechanical issues. I believe NDOT is in the process of putting out a project to replace those escalators, and may be debating turning the bridge maintenance over to the county (they've given up control over most of the Strip roadway at this point, except the area surrounding the Tropicana bridges).

[cpzilliacus]

Langley Park, Maryland (junction of Md. 193 (University Boulevard East) and Md. 650 (New Hampshire Avenue) has them, at least on the medians.

Example (GSV) on westbound 193 approaching 650 here.